XTQZZZ: "I have no time for doing things for people to see if I'm good or not"
Although he doesn’t get the plaudits that other coaches may get, it’s undeniable that XTQZZZ is one of the best coaches to ever stand behind a Counter-Strike team.
His partnership with apEX - the captain he originally convinced to even become an IGL - has flourished into something incredible, building a level of dominance the likes of which has never been seen before in CS.
At BLAST Open Rotterdam, the latest of his Vitality team’s conquests, we sat down with the Frenchman to discuss Vitality’s constant hunger, the form of flameZ, and why Spirit are running out of time to win with donk.
“We had time with ZywOo, Spirit don’t have time with donk”
Let's start with the idea of motivation. The team has been so successful for so long, and we've seen before that teams or players struggle to keep up their motivational levels after great successes, so what's still driving you guys forward?
Last year, our motivation was based around having a new roster. We won in Katowice, and then we wanted more. The second half of the year was a bit harder, but the only goal was to win a second Major.
This year, maybe at the beginning, we thought it would be tough, but after the Krakow win, we had some goals. We have a playoff streak, to win another Grand Slam, another Major. At the same time, we try to find smaller goals to win trophies, so it's nothing crazy. It can be harder sometimes, but after a day or two, we're always on the same page.
In that sense, it sounds like the motivational in personal to yourselves as a team. Do you think that's important, considering the gap between Vitality and the next best team is as big as it ever has been?
I don't think so, it's only the start of the year and has only been four tournaments, so it's more about the opponents to find a way to play their best game. For us, we know we can do it, and how to do it, so it's all about the mentality and how badly we want it compared to the others. Maybe that's the main reason why we're really good right now.
Do you have any opinions on why some of the other teams may be struggling?
I don't know, I think it's different based on the team.
MOUZ, I know that they've played four events in a row plus a bootcamp, so maybe at some point you need to freshen up and reset. Falcons, I want to wait a bit longer. PARIVISION are pretty good, and Spirit, I don't know. I think the problem for them is just time. I believe in having time, but when you have a player like donk, I don't think you have it.
It took time for apEX as a leader and for ZywOo to consistently win tournaments for ZywOo, so what do you think is the big difference for Spirit with donk?
We had time, but it's the context of that time. When I made apEX into an IGL, it was during COVID. We needed to protect the money as an organisation, and we tried with young players who had very little experience. The organisation said we just need to fight with the situation and do our best.
Now, for Spirit, of course, they've already won Katowice, Cologne, and a Major,
so after that, you want to win no matter what. This is why it's really different. Especially last year, when they were the second-best team of the year in my opinion, you expect to be even better.
That's why they don't have time, especially when you have a guy like donk doing what he's doing, you expect more.
What about a couple of the teams lower down? G2 lost to SINNERS at a smaller LAN recently. Do you think those kinds of losses are down to the strength of tier two or an extra pressure that VRS puts on teams?
It's hard to answer. If you remember the RMRs, there were a lot of upsets then, too. It's probably something to do with the pressure, and the environment is very different as well. Sometimes you have to play two or three BO3s in a day, and usually a tier one team has the time to prep and knows the opponents from playing them so frequently. SINNERS, for example, is a very different opponent for G2.
But for those kinds of teams, they're playing the equivalent of two or three RMRs in a row. They have to give their best. I don't know why G2 are doing it, because they're at the Major no matter what, maybe it's for NertZ, so I don't think it's pressure for them, but those other teams want to win so much, and we saw the result of that last night.
Are you happy that you guys don't have to do that kind of grind?
Honestly, so far, yes. I can not say we're lucky, but it's something I don't need to think about as a coach. It's very tough, you have to deal with the VRS system to schedule which tournaments you have to do, so I wish every team that has to do it luck.
Let's talk about you. It feels like you don't get the credit that a lot of other coaches get, and considering how good Vitality are, it's very ignorant to suggest that you magically have no part in that. Is that something you ever think about?
No, for me, I don't want to shine; it's my players. As soon as we are happy, as soon as we are on the same page and winning some trophies, I don't need more than that.
I know there are some people who don't like that, and who would like to hear more things, but me? I'm thinking about my job and my family, I have no time for the rest or for trying to do more things for people to see if I'm good or not. At the end of the day, I've won many trophies, so who cares?
ZywOo is ZywOo, and his form is basically a given, but flameZ has almost been at the donk level this year. What's been the key for this form? Have there been any changes made?
I think he found balance in his life, both in-game and outside. I think that's the first thing, and it's very important, very underrated, too.
Secondly, he also found his routine now for how to prep and be consistent, for how to work individually. Before, it was only FACEIT, and that's it. Now he watches games, he reviews, he talks with all the staff and other players, so he's way more efficient. I don't know if he'll do the same all year, but it's already an improvement, so I'm proud of him.
Because we have to ask - is this the best version of ZywOo, or can there be more out of him?
[laughs] You never know with him. I could say this is the best version, but I can never know 100%. Maybe he can do even better, because when you have a guy like that, he can do anything.
Natus VincereParivision
Aurora
